Gone Platinum, Be Back Soon
by NoriChan
Summary: Everybody everywhere has a dream. One thing that they strive for in life...Stardom is one of the things Haruki Mai wants and she gets some help and advice from one of Japan's hottest stars..


Title: Gone Platinum, Be Back Soon  
  
Rating: PG-13 for violence, rape, swearing, and sexual situations  
  
Disclaimer: *does the dance of disclaimerness*  
  
Notes From Nori: Takes places a few years after the TV series, this is a fic being written back and forth between my cousin's fiancé and I. His name is Yukio so I give Yuki-kun credit. *does the dance of credit giving* In fact this is more his fic than mine so all praise his Godliness. ( ________________________  
  
Everybody has a dream. From dreams of stardom to love and marriage, everyone has a dream. The only difference is that some people never realize their dreams, they give up and all is lost. This of course, is not the case of 22-yr-old Shindo Shuichi. Since a young age Shuichi has dreamed of being a star and he chased that dream until it was finally in his grasp. His ambition and faith led him to the top and he has been able to live out his dream. Unfortunately not everyone fairs so well, no matter how strong his or her will may be.  
  
"Oh what the hell did I do, to get stuck with a piece of shit like you?" Haruki Mai grumbled, kicking the front fender of her car mercilessly.  
  
The fender made a loud clunk before it fell completely off the front of her car. Letting out a few loud obscenities Mai kicked the fender repeatedly, finally getting it into a nearby ditch. Throwing her hands up in surrender she glared up at the sky.  
  
"What the hell did I do this time, huh?" she screamed before sticking up her middle finger. "Yeah well, fuck you too!"  
  
Letting out a frustrated noise she stomped her feet on the ground haughtily. She finally stopped, inhaling deeply a few times before flopping down ungracefully on to the grass on the rode side. Picking at the brownish colored patches of grass she sighed and stared up into the sky. Squinting at the stars she looked them over critically.  
  
"What am I supposed to do now?" she asked to the sky. "You broke down the P.O.S. {1} so now I've got nothing to get me home. What am I gunna do, huh?"  
  
Sighing in defeat she threw the grass she was picking at on the ground and stood brushing off her hole filled, faded blue jeans. Allowing herself a small impish grin she shook her head and gave a mock salute to the sky. Perhaps it was a sort of sign that her piece of shit car was on it's last leg and it was safer to walk, but whatever it was Mai hoped hypothermia didn't set in before she got home.  
  
She was dressed for comfortable distance walking, but it wasn't her favorite thing to do. Well, she could think of other things she'd rather do anyway. Looking around she made a quick turn into a nearby alleyway and slowed her pace. As she walked through the rocky little path separating two different apartment buildings she hummed to herself. Suddenly her little melody was interrupted by the sound of a sort of cry followed by the sound of something or somebody being slapped. Feet frozen in place, Mai stared up at a window where shadows played themselves on the wall.  
  
It was apparently a couple having an argument. The sound of shattering glass sounded and was followed by another female scream. The lower male voice boomed for her to shut-up and there was more screaming. Hearing a few more screams and slaps Mai shivered and practically raced from the alleyway. Once she was a safe distance away she let out a shuddering gasp and covered her mouth.  
  
"Oh God.." she murmured softly.  
  
Trembling slightly she glanced over her shoulder and decided that she would walk around a bit before going home that night. It wasn't long until she reached her destination, a small park about a block away from her apartment. Mai always came her to think, to clear her mind of things. She also came here to write and sing. It was so quiet and peaceful, the perfect place to get away from it all. Letting out a thankful sigh she headed to a small bridge over the lake there.  
  
It was the most beautiful sight anybody could possible behold right then with the full moon shining down onto the water's glassy surface. It created such a beautiful illustrious light that Mai stared at it breathlessly, completely awestruck. Paradise. Sitting down on the middle of the bridge Mai sighed and replayed the day over in her head, reflecting silently. The fight she witnessed just a few minutes ago burned in her memory, making her stomach clench. Struck with a sudden idea she sang to herself.  
  
"I was afraid you'd hit me if I'd spoken up.." she began, slowly to the tune form earlier. "I was afraid of your physical strength/ I was afraid you'd hit me below the belt/ I was afraid of your sucker punch/ I was afraid of your reducing me/  
  
I was afraid of your alcohol breath/ I was afraid of your complete disregard for me/ I was afraid of your temper."{2}  
  
She stopped and winced at all that had come out in just that little verse. It felt horribly good to say this, like an insatiable sin she couldn't help. So she continued, unable to hold in the words of hate and resentment that flew from her mouth. Every memory and every feeling, all of it came out now.  
  
"You were my best friend/ you were my lover/ you were my mentor/ you were my brother/ you were my partner/  
  
you were my teacher/ you were my very own sympathetic character.." she sang as her volume rose, her voice echoing through the abandoned park. "I was afraid of verbal daggers/ I was afraid of the calm before the storm/ I was afraid for my own bones/ I was afraid of your seduction/ I was afraid of your coercion/ I was afraid of your rejection/ I was afraid of your intimidation/ I was afraid of your punishment/ I was afraid of your icy silences/ I was afraid of your volume/ I was afraid of your manipulation/ I was afraid of your explosions!"  
  
By the time she was finished she was wailing loudly and her icy blue eyes were closed tightly. She took a minute before moving, her breaths coming in quick and short gasps before she finally calmed herself. Long black lashes fluttered open, framing a pair of ice blue eyes filled with fire. As soon as her breath was completely even Mai stood quickly, determined to get home and write that down before she forgot them.  
  
To the young vocalist's surprise, when she turned to leave she smacked right into a man whom had been standing behind her. A cigarette dangling from his lips and his golden blonde tresses disheveled around his face the man narrowed his amber colored eyes at her. Both sets of eyes flickering dangerously they stared each other down until the man finally brought his eyes away with a 'humph' sound.  
  
"You know the views so well, it seems like you've been there before, kid." He grumbled, removing his cigarette to blow the smoke up into the air.  
  
Mai stared for a moment, a sudden wind blowing her platinum blonde hair into her face. Brushing it to the side in aggravation she narrowed her icy eyes at the man.  
  
"Let's get two things straight, pal," she said coolly. "What I've been through is of no concern to you and I am no kid."  
  
The younger person glared and the man's dull amber eyes locked with the girl's sharp blue ones. He made another 'humph' and looked away out over the lake. Mai followed his stare and watched the water ripple in the wind for a moment before casting the man an agitated look.  
  
"So what're you doing here anyway, old man?" Mai asked sharply.  
  
The man snorted and took another long drag of his cigarette before tossing it on the bridge and grounding it out with his shoe. He said nothing for a while simply shoved his hands into his slack pockets and continued to stare out over the lake.  
  
"I took a walk and heard you wailing. I thought it may have been some sort of animal and I came to put it out of its misery." He said flatly.  
  
Mai blushed slightly and continued to semi glare at the man. She leaned against the railing and looked out over the moon-kissed surface silently.  
  
"I'm Haruki Mai. Who the hell are you?"  
  
"Eiri Yuki."  
  
Mai looked back at the man and did a double take. The Eiri Yuki? The one who wrote love novels and was a best selling author in all of Japan? Raising an elegant eyebrow Mai looked at the man. He did resemble the man on the book jackets in the back. Perhaps it was him she mused thoughtfully. Not that she cared; in fact the only reason she knew who he was because he was all over the news.  
  
"You're a novelist, huh?" she asked dully.  
  
"Guilty."  
  
Mai glanced up and over at the older man, studying his profile for a moment. Yuki looked down at the girl and gave a semi glare that made the girl smirk before turning back to the water.  
  
"So I told you why I was here, why are you here? Come out to howl at the full moon regularly?" he asked smoothly.  
  
Mai smirked. "Not usually. I came because I needed to break away for a minute. Get some shit out of my system, ya know?"  
  
To her surprise the sarcastic and stony man nodded sullenly, not meeting the girl's gaze. 'This guy is really a piece of work ,' Mai thought, standing to face him. Yuki looked at her again and raised an eyebrow as she had done.  
  
"You wrote those lyrics just now? Spur of the moment?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, why?" she asked, giving him a funny little smile.  
  
The blonde shook his head. "No reason. The baka could learn a thing or two about talent from you, that's all."  
  
Mai was a bit taken back by the compliment and blinked her icy colored eyes at the man. The silence following that statement hung in the air between them for a while until Mai was able to form a coherent thought.  
  
"Should I be offended or what? And who's 'the baka'?"  
  
"Shindo Shuichi, take it either way you want it." He said with a shrug.  
  
"Alright," she said slowly. "Do you mean Shindo-san of Bad Luck?"  
  
"The one and only." Yuki replied nonchalantly, not seeing anything too special about the talk of his koibito.  
  
The platinum blonde grinned slightly and nodded, she looked quite satisfied. Yuki smirked and shook his head at the girl.  
  
"Eh, I'll take that as a compliment, thanks." She said with a slight bow.  
  
Glancing down at the watch on her wrist, Mai sighed and ran slender digits through her silky hair. She shoved her hands into her coat pocket and stared at Yuki for a minute as if she were debating.  
  
"I guess I'd better go, Eiri Yuki. Send my regards to Shindo would ya?" she said with a small grin.  
  
"Hai, I'm sure he'll be thrilled I met somebody else who can out-write him." Yuki said, pulling out another cigarette and lighting it up.  
  
Mai smirked and shook her head before bounding off towards her home. Eiri Yuki was definitely something. She debated for a moment whether or not she should have asked to meet Shuichi sometime, but thought it'd be too rude to do so. Besides, she wanted to make it on her own, not because she had "connections". Pure talent was how she was going to get in and she was definitely going to get in..  
  
~________________________________~  
  
End the lame and pointless chapter one. I wrote most of this one myself (Yeah, I'll probably get to write all the lame chapters.. :P) Yukio is already jetting to work on the next chapter. It's a bit plotless right now, sorry. But if you keep with it a plot will come in. Promise. :) This story even has a moral to it! Woo! LOL Review and give suggestions, they're always much appreciated. -Nori and Yuki {1} P.O.S.: stands for Piece of Shit. That's what Yukio calls his car. Lol.  
  
{2} Lyrics are from Alanis Morisette's song 'Sympathetic Character'. Very nice song, but rather saddish and angsty. [pic] 


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